Seattle giving $800 in grocery vouchers to 1,000 recently-displaced workers

SEATTLE — Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan on Tuesday launched an expansion of the city’s grocery voucher program to give $800 in grocery vouchers to workers who have lost their job or had their hours reduced due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The expansion was made possible by a $1 million donation from Oak View Group and NHL Seattle leadership, staff and partners.

Of the $1 million, $800,000 will go to the United Way of King County’s Community Relief Fund to support the Office of Sustainability and Environment’s (OSE) expanded grocery voucher program while $200,000 will go to Seattle Center non-profit tenants with a grant to support their continued operations.

“We know that working people in Seattle are struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our region is transitioning from having one of the lowest unemployment rates anywhere, to seeing unemployment claims soar statewide,” Durkan said. “These grocery vouchers will be critical to helping working families put food on the table.”

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The vouchers can be used immediately at any Washington state Safeway store to purchase food and household goods, not including tobacco, alcohol, lottery tickets and fuel.

The expansion comes after Durkan announced last month that the city would be giving out $5 million in grocery vouchers to help families impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

City officials said they are continuing to raise funds with the goal of giving vouchers to another 1,000 recently displaced workers.

Anyone who is interested in donating to the grocery voucher program, contact Office of Sustainability and Environment director Jessica Finn Coven at Jessica.FinnCoven@seattle.gov.

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City officials said United Way of King County is partnering with community-based organizations to distribute the vouchers. The program is focused on recently displaced workers who are unable to access other forms of government aid due to structural or institutional barriers, like language barriers, fear of deportation or experiencing gender-based violence.

“We are committed to giving back and supporting those families with an urgent and immediate need and our non-profit neighbors at the Seattle Center who need a lift. We know better days are ahead, but we want to help bridge the gap during this time of uncertainty,” Tod Leiweke, the CEO of NHL Seattle, said in a news release.

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The expansion of the program comes after Durkan announced last month that the city would be giving out $5 million to provide 6,250 families currently enrolled in city-supported child care programs and food assistance programs with $800 in grocery vouchers.

Eligible households have already received $400 in grocery vouchers and will receive another $400 in grocery vouchers to help with food assistance needs in May, Durkan said.

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